If we had to pick our favourite thing about L’Occitane, it’d be the beautiful blend of natural ingredients that goes into every product. From nuts to flowers, each formula is enriched with aromatic essences that help to give that iconic L’Occitane experience. Want to know more about each ingredient? We’ve taken a closer look at some you’re sure to recognise.
Vanilla
Ah, vanilla. It’s not just for ice creams, you know! We love L’Occitane’s vanilla-enriched formulas, as they hit the perfect balance between sweet and warm. They’re perfect for cocooning this time of year, offering a more pared-back version of a festive scent. Vanilla is a big player in this year’s seasonal Today’s Special Value, Full of Festivities, with the Warm option blending this sweet scent with other classic ingredients like shea.
Rose
Rose is a long-standing favourite in beauty products. A symbol of femininity, women have been scenting their bodies with rose for centuries and the flower now gives plenty of creativity to beauty buffs and perfumers alike. Roses are located all over Provence and Grasse, as well as being key to French folklore. It’s no wonder then that L’Occitane fragrances so many of its products with these beautiful blooms. Rose Centifolia absolute from Grasse, Rose Damascena from Morocco and Rose Damascena essential oil from Turkey and Bulgaria are all blended into beautifully delicate formulas like Rose Shower Gel and Shea Rose Hand Cream.
Almond
We all know almond is an icon in L’Occitane’s range, but do you know the marvellous story behind it? Following a harsh winter in the 1950s, many of Provence’s almond trees were left damaged and abandoned, however, with a little determination, a few farmers began to regrow the trees, and in 2000, L’Occitane partnered with farmer Jean-Pierre Jaubert to support the growth of his almonds. Today, one of our favourite ways to use almond in our routine is with the classic Almond Shower Oil, Almond Delicious Hands and Almond Body Milk. All three are hydrating, moisturising and leave your skin with a delicious scent.
Lavender
A fundamental part of L’Occitane’s DNA, Lavandula Angustifolia’s fine essential oil is blended into many a formula. Known for its beautiful scent and relaxing nature, lavender brings many benefits to bath and body products, helping to soothe the mind as well as the skin. L’Occitane uses Protected Designation of Origin lavender, grown from seeds provided by the French institute of perfume. It thrives in the hot, dry weather of the region and is a recognisable part of Provence’s landscape. If lavender is your favourite, there’s plenty of options to choose from, but we love Ultra Rich Lavender Body Cream and Lavender Foaming Bath.
Immortelle
You’ll be familiar with L’Occitane’s beloved Imortelle Divine range. It’s the ultimate way to update your anti-ageing routine with a little bit of luxury. Every formula is infused with essential oil from the Imortelle flower, a beautiful bloom that boasts a long life. The flower has been renowned for many years for its youth-boosting, moisturising and restorative properties, so it’s no surprise it’s made its way into beauty products! Grown in Corsica, L’Occitane works with a number of producers to ensure each flower is locally sourced and traceable.
Shea
Shea butter is a very special ingredient in the world of L’Occitane. Since the 1980s, the brand has worked with the producers of Burkina Faso to build a close, supportive relationship that produces 100% fair trade shea. Known for it’s moisturising properties, shea is one of the most versatile products in beauty, featuring in everything from foot cream to haircare. There are so many products we could pick when it comes to our favourite shea formulas, we had to settle on a couple. The Hand Cream is a must, whether it’s super-sized or handbag friendly, and when it comes to soap, we only ever buy the Shea Liquid Soap. It just comes in so many scents, and the refills are the perfect way to keep stocked up.
With over 200 botanical ingredients in the collection, there’s still lots more to discover from L’Occitane, so head to their page now to see for yourself!
